Honorbound
by SsjVII
Summary: A hundred generations before Frieza, Bardock, and Goku, Jared Vegeta faces world-wide war, and worse, the loss of his best friend and new love.
1. Chapter 1: Introductions

Honor-Bound  
Chapter 1  
  
  
  
In the traditional white boots with gold front trim, she padded into the audience chamber as  
softly as she could, but still the sound of her footfalls resonated against the walls of the massive  
room. At the other end was the royal throne atop many platforms that formed stairs to the floor.  
Hovering over it, glaring, was her lord. Prince Vegeta. His onyx eyes glittered with intelligence,  
his strong arms crossed in perpetual challenge, and his head was held high by proven pride;  
arrogant down to his noble tail, swishing, bored of waiting for this meeting. She stopped ten  
paces in front of the base of the throne and in one fluid motion dropped to one knee, her own  
rear appendage wrapping around her feet. Lowering her head, she spoke, breaking the relative  
silence,  
"My Lord, Thank you for meeting with me."  
His eyes scanned his subject prostrated in submission as he floated down to stand in front  
of the steps, arms still crossed.  
"What is the meaning of all the secrecy? Having a royal messenger request audience?  
You, warrior, have never been known for formality." he said through a smirk. The words dripped  
with sarcasm and he waited for her response.  
"My Lord, ... I have come to ask of you something of a most personal nature- "  
"Well, ask!" he growled impatiently. Then, the Prince noticed that she wore the most  
pained look he'd ever seen on her face outside of battle. Surely, a personal war could not distract  
a saiyan warrior of her caliber so easily, he thought, is she becoming a weakling on me? What  
tempest rages behind that face?  
She looked up and Vegeta could see her soul in her eyes.  
  
"Sire, ... I wish to be destroyed."   
  
Vegeta was taken aback and his arms fell from their place to his sides. His confusion  
read plainly on his face and his tail twitched back and forth.   
"I want Your Highness to defeat me," she continued. "At least in death I may have a  
chance at dignity... " Her chin protruded proudly now, but it was obvious that it took effort to  
make it so. He could also see by the clouded look on her face that she had fought the urge to  
weep and barely won. A weakling, before his very eyes! Vegeta regained his arrogant stance, his  
arms re-folding. He smirked.  
"No, warrior. Not unless your reason satisfies me." The smirk faded and a small frown  
replaced it on his lips. She dropped her gaze and took a breath. Exhaling, she looked up at her  
sovereign again and spoke.  
"A breach of honor I committed, grievous and unforgivable. I seek atonement through  
battle, and defeat as my penance." (What in the name of all things saiyan could you have done  
Seven?, he thought to himself.) With a single gesture of his hand, confirmed her request and bid  
her rise.  
Gracefully as she could through her shame, she straightened herself up as her Prince  
began to walk. Soon, he stood before her.  
"Power up to your maximum. It will be necessary if you wish to preserve your life. (I  
don't want to do this to you, old friend...)"  
"My Lord, I -" she paused, wondering if he knew how badly it hurt to be near him like  
this, how much she really did want to die, and that her ascended form would reveal her  
non-saiyan ancestry. Her pained look deepened.  
"I do not believe that is necessary, my lord prince." To that, Vegeta was almost offended.  
He arched an eyebrow at her impertinence.  
"It is my will. No saiyan desires to seek help from anyone. However, you come to me,  
then it shall be done my way."  
" ... As you command."  
  
With her arms at her sides, and her eyes once again to the floor, she concentrated on  
letting go. The air between them shimmered with energy as her power rose sharply, light  
spreading from her body like dye through a glass of water, throwing shadows that danced on the  
walls. The prince just watched, unimpressed. Then she tucked in her arms close to her body and  
with a shout, she let her power flare up violently as jags of blue lightning lanced through the air  
surrounding her. Even Prince Vegeta had to take a step back.   
"Forgive me, my lord, but are you sure you wish to see as far as I can go? It can be  
dangerous. (Jared! You don't know what I am. You don't know what I can do. Please don't make  
me show you!)" Sarcasm has always been Vegeta's strongest weapon, and he wielded it well.  
"What? Concerned for my safety, are you? Well, don't be! Just take it as far as it can go  
so I can blast your impertinent ass into the next quadrant!" he bellowed, like he could do less  
than yell to be heard now.  
She studied the floor once more (I had to lie to you, Jared! You wouldn't have  
understood! Better me a liar than you dead at my feet, Jared...) .   
"Yes, my Lord." Her hair swirled around her ethereally, but the look of regret made the  
picture less pretty somehow. She now thrust her arms skyward, and cried out loudly when for a  
third time, her power climbed yet again. This time, her short, warrior-style hair drew itself out of  
her head as white light drowned out the scene and she reappeared with a waist-long flowing  
mane of silver light. And that wasn't all. Four long black horny projections arc backward from  
her forehead, almost touching the nape of her neck. Her ears had drawn upwards and acquired  
pointed ends. From behind her, her tail swished into view, but instead of a slender saiyan tail, it  
was wide, hairless, and reptilian. However even the horns and tail could not have prepared Jared  
Vegeta for what waved in the air from her recently bulked-up shoulders. A large pair of wings  
protruded behind her. And the light shone brighter still as her eyes finally changed from saiyan  
black to super-saiyan teal.   
Vegeta put his arms down from where he'd thrown them up as shield from the energy. He  
knew now even if he didn't before that she was not one of them. She was not a saiyan. She'd lied  
to him! She'd been lying to him all this time! He stared at her.   
She could feel that there was more to the way he was watching her than just the light  
show.   
"Why didn't you tell me!?" he demanded, scowling behind him raised arm. "I should have  
had you destroyed when I first thought there was something odd about you, but you kept one step  
ahead of me with your distractions! Were you trying to make a fool of me?"  
She looked at him, her gaze filled with regret for the truth. The truth was that this was  
not her limit. She had one more transformation to go, technically. But she'd never achieved that  
much energy before. She doubted that she was going to get the chance to strive for it now. "Of  
course not, Sire." she lied.   
"Humph!" he turned his gaze away showing his disdain. "Is that the final form? Are you  
ready... for your penance, as you put it?" The waves of energy that radiated from her leveled off  
and she put her arms to her sides.  
"I think I am." Realistically, she did have one more form to go, but its instability and the  
fact that she just couldn't do it yet prevented her. Still, I should be able to give him a good fight  
as my last gift to him, she thought.  
He began to power up too at that point. Light exploded from his body, making shadows  
dance on the walls again. His hair changed to super-saiyan golden, his eyes to teal, and the gusts  
of wind/energy made his hair wave like grass in a training field. She caught herself before she  
smiled at the thought. He always looked so ... alive... so much like someone he used to be when  
he did that.  
"Then stand there..." He pointed to a spot in the middle of the room, about fifteen paces  
behind her. She turned and walked away to re-position herself, and Vegeta whispered under his  
breath, " ... and all will be forgiven."  
She heard that, and spun around.  
"BIG BANG ATTACK!"  
The blast came very powerfully, as she was caught off-guard from what he whispered.  
The large wave of energy knocked her off her feet and into the air. She slammed backward into  
the wall next to the chamber door, creating a large vertical crater in the masonry. She caught  
herself in mid fall by her ki and landed on her feet, tail swishing. As the smoke and dust began to  
clear, she aimed the heel of her right hand at her lord. She fired off a volley of three blasts, each  
one just as large as the attack she withstood. Vegeta dodged them all, first right, then left, then  
right again, without moving from his spot on the floor. Damn him!  
"I know that you are capable of more than that pitiful array. Show me what you can do!  
Now!" he scowled, but there was something different in his eyes. He almost looked like he was  
enjoying himself!  
No time to analyze it now, she thought, and clapped her hands in front of her. Bringing  
them apart revealed a ball of blue ki, so dense that it was heavy and hot to the touch. She  
widened the gap quickly, held the ball aloft and dropped her left hand. With a shout, she hurled  
it at Vegeta who launched himself into the air and flew at her, but this attack had homing on it  
and turned to chase him. When he noticed this, he was surprised for only a half-moment, and  
decided to maintain course. She saw that he was about to turn the tables on her, and bolted  
straight up into the air. Vegeta dodged to the side and the dark ball of ki slammed into the wall,  
creating another crater right next to the one she had made with her body. Then it all went black.  
  
  
********************************************************************************  
***************  
  
Strong moonlight lit the walls and she realized that it must have been hours that she'd  
been out of it. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up slowly and put her feet down. The floor is ice-cold  
and her toes cringe as she leaned over the side of the bed to retrieve her boots. She put them on  
and studied the room she'd been put in. Just an ordinary room she thought. Getting up, she began  
to search for the door, her eyes narrowed as she realized there was none.   
Returning to the bed and sitting heavily, she remembered part of what happened before  
she arrived here. Her Lord, Prince Vegeta dodged her attacks as if she hadn't thrown any, and  
turning another against her. Putting her head in her hands, she tried to remember how she got to  
be in this Kami-forsaken door less room. All that came to mind was dodging upward as her own  
traitorous ball of ki slams into the stonework below her.  
I guess he must have knocked me out while I was occupied with that, she thought aloud.  
Clever, Jared. Very clever.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Seated sideways on his throne and forehead in hand, Prince Jared Vegeta half-watched  
the two workers finishing the repairs from the battle he and that coward fool woman had.  
Coming to him, she'd asked for a battle and just when it started to be interesting, she  
disappeared! Vanished! Cowardly. Not to mention, rude. One of the workers, an almost pudgy  
saiyan named Celrin, stood from his labors and walked to the bottom of the royal stairs. Here he  
bowed low.   
"Speak", Vegeta growled and shifted in the seat to a more normal pose.   
"As your Highness can see, it is done." Celrin bowed low again.  
"Yes. You may go." He waved them away with a hand. A third bow and Celrin strode out  
of the throne room. Pausing, he snatched up his tools and tapped his associate, a wiry skinny  
female named Reuta on the shoulder. "Lets go."  
Reuta nodded silently and rose to go. She turned back to look at her lord, and then walked  
quietly out of the room.  
Totally alone, Vegeta thought back to the events of earlier that day. He saw her rise to  
avoid the ball of ki he'd re-directed back towards her. Then in a flash, no there was no light  
flashing, but she was gone in an instant. No explosion, no residual ki signature, nothing. She'd  
just simply vanished. ... but why hadn't she said anything about being from somewhere else?  
How did she come to be here, on Vegeta-sei? I've known she was strong ever since we were  
young. She fights like a saiyan. She looks like a saiyan. Kami-dammit, she even smells like one!  
But still this nagging feeling will not go away! I know there's something more than this that I  
don't know. He banged the arm of the throne with his fist creating a small dent. But I will find  
out!!  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
Having walked circles around the room, she ran her fingers down one wall and then the  
next, looking for some break, some failure in the illusion by which she could tell the exit, but  
there was none. Finally, she sat down in the middle of the room, tired, but still determined to  
find a way out. Meditation will help me clear my head enough to think through this clearly, she  
thought.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
Hours passed and still she had not returned, in regular form or any other. Vegeta stood  
from his throne, shooed away the servants that tended to him, and walked down the steps that led  
out of the throne room. No offence, he thought as he stalked the corridors, no offence was great  
enough that one would placate someone for - he sneered- help, and from him, of all people! and  
then disappear without finishing what one had started... It just didn't make sense!  
He strode into the courtyards, down many hallways, into the barracks to the wide eyes of  
all around him, and then stopped in front of her quarters. With one look, the two guards he had  
stationed at her door bowed low and then quickly left. His hand hovered over the keypanel at the  
left of the portal as he pondered the indignity of what he was about to do. He closed his eyes and pressed the button. Stepping inside, he raised a fist and bellowed,  
"How dare y- ..." he stopped. The room was empty. He could see that it had been so for at  
least the time that she'd been with him and gone. A cold feeling in his spine told him that there was still more going on than he knew. Strutting back through the barracks, he stopped at one of his general's offices.  
"Sire!" the general bowed low at sight of his lord entering the small room. "To what do I  
owe the hon-"  
"Can it, Kale!" The Prince folded his arms at his chest, a sign to General Kale that his  
lordship was not in the mood. "I want all the information you have on the warrior called 'Seven'."  
Kale's brow furrowed. "I know that one, Highness ... but why on Plant would she interest  
you?? She's little more than a third-class warrior, she's never shown her superiors any more than passing respect, and what's worse is that there have been rumors of her being an... um,  
extra-vegetus."  
"Add coward and liar onto that, and it all seems to fit, I think." Vegeta nodded. "I should  
have sensed that kind of thing. When you find her, keep her alive. I want to grant her one last  
audience." he growled under his breath as he left the room, tromping back to his royal seat.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
  
Later that night, Seven's meditation faded into a sleep very disturbed. In one of the  
nightmares, she stood at the foot of the throne, shivering. It had gotten so cold all of a sudden. Then the face of her lord revealed itself within the foggy air that had just appeared around the throne. Without a sound, he leapt from his place and landed behind her. She spun around in time to witness her prince transform into the giant, towering were-ape that their kind was capable of only on full moons. The ape grabbed her as she tried to run, and held her fast as it drew her up to its face, the eyes studying her as if figuring something out. The mouth opened slightly as if something to say, but then widened hugely bellowing at her wordlessly, her body reacted as if being attacked. Her hair tore silently behind her and her outfit fought to stay on. She was being held very close to its face now. She could see that the eyes were moist and  
she could start to hear that the roaring which was fading into the dream had a tremulous quality. Behind the now terrible screaming, she could hear her friend, Jared's voice. He was calling to her. Begging her, ... "Please.... Seven ... !!" Then it was black, and she was alone. And still cold. Soon, however, another dream took over her mind ... or maybe it was a memory ...  
The two fighters seemed to dance on air as they spun around the sparroom, throwing  
hands and feet at each other. The only sounds in the room being the punctuated yells and grunts  
when one fighter struck the other. On one such strike, the taller fighter crouched down, holding  
his side.  
"Nnnnngh!" he gasped. "Th-that will be all for today, highness. I swear, your brother was  
not as strong as this at your age!"   
The younger of the two stood straight and spoke. "Master, I have been training every day  
other than our weekly sparring, and I am glad that you think I've improved."  
"Yes," the older man stood up. "I believe you have. Until next week, highness?"  
he stumbled out of the sparroom, heading in the direction of the infirmary. The younger man  
smirked as he walked towards the towel stand and picked one up.   
A small shadowed figure emerged from her spying-corner. The girl walked over to the  
young man, waving a hand over her nose and laughing. "You smell worse every time I watch  
you!" The boy gave her a quizzical look. "Then why do you watch my matches?" He blotted the  
sweat from his brow, and wrapped the towel around his neck.   
"But, Jared!" she complained, "You know that they wont let me train... like that!"  
"Oh, stop whining, Seven! You could train like this if you really wanted to. I know what  
you're thinking, 'what if it happens again?' But, when you actually get in there, you'll see it's  
different than that. " Jared took a few steps to the great door of the place and stopped. "You  
know, it gets harder every time to sneak you outta here."   
Seven shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "I could just leave the way I came in, but we  
know what happens then, don't we?"  
"I remember Father's face when he found out it was my fault the ventilation system was  
destroyed. Hah, too bad they're still trying to figure out how it was blown open from the inside.  
Thing is, I'm not exactly sure either. But I'm sure you'll tell me eventually. Right, Seven?"   
Rolling his eyes at her blank face, Jared nodded. "C'mon, then."   
The two young people crouched and sprinted through bushes and beside buildings, stopping  
short when Jared suspected they were about to be discovered. He would hurl himself backward  
to the wall, grabbing Seven's arm and dragging her back as well. Maybe this time will be like the  
others, he thought as a rather large guard swished by where they hid.. Usually it's been no  
trouble at all. They've been able to sneak back to her aunt Reuta's quarters for several weeks  
now without incident. I hope our lucks holds one more time. The guard stood still for a moment,  
breathing hard as if testing the air. Then he moved on. Jared thought for a moment, wondering if  
the guard could tell his scent. When he heard nothing, he reached back for Seven's wrist, but it  
was not there. He spun back to see that she wasn't alone. The guard had come around the back,  
grabbed Seven, and was holding her fast with a large hand over her mouth, preventing her from  
calling out.   
"Fool!" Jared hissed, "What do you think you're doing? Don't you know who I am??" The  
guard's eyes seemed to widen as he made the recollection, but he did not turn the girl loose.  
After a second or two of silence, the guard gruffly answered, "I was sent by your father, boy. He  
had not given up on finding out who you are with each day and why. Now I see that this" he  
shook Seven -hard. "baka's has been the one that's been corrupting you, lordship."  
"That's not true! It's not like that!" Jared stamped his foot. "She's not a corruption!"   
"That will remain for your father to decide. You will return to your quarters and wait for  
the summons." With that, the guard tossed Seven under his arm like a package and stomped off.  
Seven could see Jared's face as she was taken away. He was angry, of course, but something  
else, too. Afraid.   
"Seven! I'll find a way out of this! Be Strong! Hang on!"  
  
She woke again, sweat pouring down her face. She remembered what happened after  
that. She had been taken to an audience before Jared's father, the King. King Vegeta had told her  
in no uncertain terms that she was no longer to have anything to do with his son. Now as a  
young woman, she still missed Jared, her best friend, terribly but she was older and so was he.  
He was Prince Vegeta now, and she didn't need to be saiyan to feel that both were  
battle-hardened and scarred from the inside out. She pulled her knees to her chin, buried her  
face, and for the first time in a while, wept for her friend.   
  
*************************************************************  
  
  
The next few days were relatively uneventful for the Prince. Fruitless searches for Seven  
had been conducted non-stop since General Kale had gotten the order. Every hour, a lower  
warrior would come back from royal audience with a rather singed quality about him.  
Apparently Vegeta had no qualms about shooting the messenger. And it was getting worse.  
Vegeta knew that if they didn't find her soon, the chances of finding her alive would be nil and  
none. But, tearing at his thoughts was the warrior in him demanding to know why she had to be  
alive? She'd lied to him all his life, abandoned his as a boy and wasn't even a saiyan. He'd be so better off without her. That day concluded the last of the searches for Seven.  
  
************************************************************  
  
  
Seven was ravenous now! She didn't know how many days she'd been in this room. All  
she knew was that she was hungry, and pitied the fool who stood in the way of a saiyan's meal.  
But, you know you aren't one of his people, and so does he, doesn't he? Even starving as she was, the thought of having betrayed Jared still had her wrapped in the blankets in the corner of the room, rocking back and forth slowly alternately crying and humming to herself.  
She stayed locked within her fearful side for several more minutes, letting the rage that  
was bred into her build until she leaped up, let her power overtake her and fired a rather large  
beam of energy at the blank wall. As the blast dissipated, small bolts of electricity snaked up  
and down the impact area. Seven walked up to the blackened part of the wall and almost  
touched it. (Well now, this was promising!) Then she went back to stand at her place on the  
floor, powered up a second time, and fired. When it took much longer for the electric bolts to  
fade away, she was further encouraged. She continued until she had blasted a fairly large hole in the wall. She let the smoke finally clear and what came to her eyes was a very strange sight.  
Stepping out of the newly-created exit, she looked around at what seemed like a hallway.  
Instead of clean, cold, and light-colored steel, the walls had a very dark, soft substance on it that made her hand recoil to touch it. It also looked as if it were designed for much taller beings, but the information terminals that lit up a section of corridor here and there were placed at a height that she could reach easily. It was not making any sense. After a few minutes of walking, she began to get the feeling that she was not alone, but being followed.  
"It's been far too long, my child."  
(What the hell!?) Seven spun around, expecting the owner of the voice to charge and  
strike her, and so defended. But the tall person who was there did not strike her, but hugged her and wrapped what seemed to be a cloak around her. It wasn't tight enough for a battle embrace, or a kidnaping. But the strangest thing was the person was... crying? (What is this?)  
"Who are you?" Seven asked.  
"What? Don't you know- No, I guess you couldn't have." He let her go, stood up straight  
so she could see his face more clearly. "I am your father. My name is For." She saw that the person had short dark hair, but nestled in the crazy locks were ... horns? Then the real shock came ... wings waved behind the man. Tall, slender things. That must account for the tall ceilings here, she half-though to herself. All this was too much. She couldn't take  
anymore. Her effort from escaping the cell as she knew it to be and her ravening hunger having  
drained almost all of her energy, this was more than she was prepared for. She backed up a  
couple of steps, and half-whispered as she collapsed slowly to the floor, "You're dead, I saw you die...." 


	2. Chapter 2: All Saiyans, All The Time

Disclaimer: I don't own any DBZ or anything about them. But it has me, lock, stock and barrel! As far as I know, this is an original storyline. If it's something similar to what you've seen elsewhere, tough noogies! lol!   
  
Last Chapter: Seven goes to Vegeta's throneroom wanting to battle to the death, then she is taken into a cell-like place. When she escapes, she's discovered. By her long-dead father.  
  
Honorbound  
Chapter 2  
  
Seven awoke to find her stomach had ceased its complaining and was content. She also found herself in a very soft bed. Nothing like the hard plank-like things that she was accustomed to. (How would anyone sleep on this thing. I'd be worried that I was going to fall through it!)  
"I didn't think you'd remember that much about that day, but thankfully, after I was put in the bedroom and you were taken away, I was found and brought to another ship like this to heal." The winged person was still there. It seems that he had been watching her while she slept. She didn't know whether to feel safe or freaked out. Wait. Hang on!  
"Ship?!" Seven was suddenly very nervous about this place. She'd never been outside the city walls before, let alone- "Are we ... in the stars?" almost child-like she said.   
The being called For laughed until tears nearly came to his eyes. Steadying himself on the wall, he said, "I will explain all in time. But, for now, yes. You are on board my ship, the Seven. I named it after you after I was told you hadn't survived the attack on our house on Vegeta so long ago." He beamed now, "But here you are! Our family is together again. Come with me. There's something I want to show you. And I'll tell you more of what happened when we get there."  
As he left the room, she rose from the bed. She dressed (How did I get to be wearing this gown??) and as she walked the corridors and tunnel-like halls of this place with the one calling himself her father, she began to remember that day on Vegeta....  
  
It had been like any other. Her mother, Avoca, was tending to the cooking and laundry, as well as to her as Seven was very young still. Then a loud boom from the front of the house shook the walls. A younger For stumbled through the entry, bloody and bruised. He looked as if he'd just ran a very long way, Seven thought to her self, and got caught in the thorns. Avoca almost bodily put For in the bedroom, to keep him safe. With her saiyan senses, she could hear the impending arrival of those who did this. Seven would always be proud of her mother for the way she stood her ground, protecting her loved ones. But even as graceful as she fought, taking down nearly three of them, the others swarmed over her like ants over a kill. Seven could still see Avoca's tear-stainded face illuminated by the balls of ki crackling in her hands, now leaning against the wall after they were done with her. Her clothes were torn, her face had none of its beauty left.   
Seven ran to her, "Mamma! Mamma! It's gonna be otay Mamma! It's gonna be otay! No you cry, Mamma!" Then facing her parents' attackers, with all her fighting lessons as far as a three-year old could take them, she powered up small balls of energy in her tiny hands.   
"You go 'way! NOW!" little Seven screeched at the big scary men. But they didn't, and one of them actually laughed at her bravery. Two of them walked up, one grabbed her shoulders, and the other let one heavy fist rise and fall on her head.  
  
Seven leaned on the squishy walls, shaking her head to clear the memory from her mind. For came closer, concerned. She looked at him very deeply for several minutes.   
"Pa- Papa?", she whispered.  
"Yes, my angel?", he whispered back, grinning widely. She lunged for him, and held him close.   
"They told me you were dead, but I was proud of you ... it was so evil ... I tried to stand up for our family, Papa, I really did!" Seven now wept openly into her father's shoulder. For could do nothing but hold her.  
  
Several days and several generous meals later, For and Seven had pretty much caught up on the events that each had missed. For had never re-married. That is not the way of his people, of their people, he'd said. He now led a large fleet of ships that patrol the galaxy, and strive to maintain some semblance of peace. They were led to check out Vegeta. It was said that even though Vegeta-sei had never actually fought with the forces of another planet, it was only a matter of time for the fledgling conquerors. And For knew that if there were any sign of his former family, he would stop at nothing to find it out. And that's when he found her.  
Sitting in the arboreum, (Seven had never seen a tree beofre this) Seven told For all about Jared, their strong friendship, and the ban placed on her from seeing him so long ago.   
  
"There is something that I'm worried about though.", Seven admitted.   
"What's that?", he father asked.  
"When you found me, I was in the middle of a pretty intense bat- uh,... sparring session. It was with Jared. We were throwing ki left and right at each other, but neither getting anywhere. Especially me. Then I found myself here, or in that room. Why did you keep it shut for long anyway?"  
"Well, Seven, I had to be sure that it was actually you. I'm so sorry that we couldn't get food to you. I know you were very hungry when you found the way out. I just couldn't take any chances. I had to absolutely sure."  
"I guess I understand, Papa." she smiled. "However, I'm pretty sure that Jared thinks I'd run out on him. He's probably stopped looking for me by now. But I gotta tell him ... I gotta talk to him."  
For cocked his head to the side. "Well, now that King Vegeta is gone, what's keeping you from seeing Jared? I mean, the Prince isn't the one that prevented it, right?"  
"Right, but even though his father is gone, if I went against Jared's dad's edict, then it show that I would have no trouble dis-obeying one of Jared's commands. Besides, we just grew apart after all that anyway. I don't think he wants ... a friendship anymore." Regret was obvious in her voice.  
  
***************************************************************   
  
  
Jared, however, was still trying to figure out what's been going on. He stood on one of the balconies that led from his suites in the palace. The breeze was hot and dry and made him squint. All he could think about was the day after she'd gone to see his father, when they were young.   
  
I hadn't seen hide nor tail of her all last night, and I was getting worried. Making up my mind and on my way to see my father about the matter, I bumped into her in one of the corridors leading to the throneroom. She didn't say a word, but her eyes told me everything. For the first time ever, I thought, there was fear in her eyes when she looked at me. Fear! I got so angry I didn't say a word to her. I just folded my arms and walked away. Where the HFIL does she get off being afraid of me?? Something tells me if I had looked back I would have seen her standing there still watching me. Logically, I know she couldn't have said anything to me. I was told later that day what kind of interaction her and Father had. But, I still wanted to see you, Seven! Not your fear, dammit!  
  
His head down and mind swirling with memories, Jared Vegeta didn't see the large fleet of dark starships that was forming on the horizon.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
General Kale was monitoring the situation closely, however. He sat in the seat closest to the window.   
"Put the ships in window, Captain." Kale folded his hands together.  
"Yes sir." Reaching a few inches from where he sat, the captain pressed a few buttons on the console he manned and the image of the alien fleet flashed onto the screen.  
"Can you identify these ships?"   
"No sir. Our systems have never seen their like, and neither have I. They seem to be waiting for something, sir."  
"I can tell that, son!" Kale fumed. It also feels like they are prepared to take it if necessary. But why didn't they attack? They brought their whole compliment of soldiers, but are they just going to pull out when they get what they want? Hopefully not. If they had something that was ours, I certainly wouldn't stand around until I was given it! They would all scream for mercy before the great Saiyan Empire!...  
"Sir??" The young captian could see his superior's knuckles blanching as he gripped the arm of the chair. "You alright?"  
"Ahem... Uh, Yes. I'm fine." Kale leaned his head back on the headrest, and continued to watch the enemy.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Jared Vegeta paced back and forth in front of the door. Soon, two men in labcoats emerged. One held up a glass jar with hair and bits of clothing.  
"This should be enough for what we have in mind, Sire. All we have to do is extract enough of her DNA off of it to be able to run a tracer. If she's anywhere on the whole planet, we'll find her, your highness."   
"Good." Vegeta nodded. Excused, the two men bowed low and left for the laboratories.   
The door to her apartments still stand open and Vegeta could not resist going in for one more peek. Aside from a few articles of clothes spread out on the bed for the labcoats' samples, there was really nothing out of place. He sat on the bed. Next to it was a small sidetable with a drawer. He tugged it open and surprisingly, it was empty. Wait. There was a small folded bit of paper stuffed in the back. He took it from its place and looked closer. In tiny, sharp handwriting, it read "To Jared Vegeta"  
Confused as to whether or not he should read it, he put it in his pocket for later. On a larger piece of furniture in the corner of the small room sat a group of little pictures. One image was of her family. Well, her mother and her. She never spoke much of her family, and after her transformation, he could see why. Is that what happened that time the vent system was ruined? Did she get into a battle lust and transform? No ... I remember...  
  
I stood my ground as best I could, but this new opponent was far too much for me, I hated to admit. He was faster, bigger, stronger, and possesed of a lust for fighting I'd never seen. I would hit him a couple times and he would me for six or seven. I was being worn down, and I knew that if I didn't do something soon, then I would be moved down in rank for losing a match. Then out of the blue, a huge rattling boom shook the walls and totally distracted my foe. I really didn't care what it was at that moment. All I knew was that I had found my opening. I aimed as big a blast of ki as I could manage at his head, and he fell. His hair smoked and he coughed all the way out of the arena. I looked in the direction of that blast, and I thought I could almost see someone trying to squiggle out of the way while the smoke cleared. But that's impossible...  
  
Seven's letter almost seemed to burn a hole in his outfit. Jared removed the folded paper and looked at it. Still sitting on the bed, he carefully unfolded the note. At the top, it had in her small consise hand the date and time. The day after her audience with my father, just after we met in the hall, Jared thought.   
It read:  
"Jared ...  
I don't know if you'll ever read this. But if you do, please don't be angry with me for not talking to you earlier. I couldn't have. Not after what happened in the throneroom. Your father, Jared, King Vegeta, told me that I couldn't ever talk to you again because I am different. I'm not a real saiyan. I'm half-saiyan. My mother was killed when I was three. They killed my father, who came from Planet Sum, too. After that, they sent me to live with my mom's sister, Reuta. Thing is, she and I don't look anything alike. I'm beginning to think ther's something else going on here. But that's not what I wanted to say to you.   
I don't hope for you to forgive me. I just want you to understand why I had to let you go my friend. ..."  
  
There was an appendage to the letter further down the page, but the hand was sloppier, and he could see the tear stains on it.  
  
"I can stand it no longer. I've got to tell him. I've got to tell him I've been lying to him. I can't go on like this, Jared. I've gotten a lot older and I know that the friendship I felt for you grew with me. I love you Jared Vegeta. That's why you have to know the truth. I'm going now... "  
  
Jared could barely understand the words as she'd written them. "I love you?" he said to himself. His mind reeled and his chest hurt like he'd been crushed, for in fact that's what was happening. The walls he'd put up when ever she happened to pass by him in the hall, or see her in the training yards, sparring with other girls. They came tumbling down now.   
  
"I. Swear. I. Will. Find. You. Seven." he hissed through his teeth as he stood and strode out the door and towards General Kale's offices. 


	3. Chapter 3: Twistin!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in whole DB/Z/GT Universe. So There. Nyaaah! :P  
  
Last Chapter: Seven plays catch-up with Dad, Jared learns of Seven's feelings, and a large scary  
fleet of dark ships looms on the horizon. Wow. Things are getting interesting!  
  
  
Honorbound  
Chapter 3  
  
The lab had a lot of beeping whistling and buzzing machinery. Jared Vegeta didn't  
understand a lot of what the machines in this room were for, and was getting rather bored watching the scientists mull over the small metal box that lay on the counter before them. They said that it had the ability to detect a DNA signature even if it was on the other side of the planet. Jared was hopeful that they were right, but he still had to be there to see if it would actually do as they proposed. After a time of waiting, Jared started to walk around the lab, looking at this beeping device here, poking at this other device there. Finally, to break the silence at the other end of the room, one of the labcoats turned around, whispering to his partner.  
"Do you suppose that General Kale's told his lordship about what he saw earlier? He didn't seem so eager to share the news, or so I heard."  
"I don't know, saiyan," the other countered. "Kale's lackeys couldn't tell their tails from a hole in the ground. But, I imagine that Kale would have told him ..."  
"Told me what?," Jared who'd snuck up behind them, asked as innocent as he could muster.  
"Err .... about the fleet of alien ships that General Kale had seen this day." the labcoat swished his tail nervously, he felt it was better to be honest than try to make up some falsehood that would cost his life.  
"The fleet. Yes, I knew." Actually, he didn't, but he wanted to reward this man by not getting angry with him. A fleet of alien ships?? Maybe they know what happened to his friend.   
"Sire," the saiyan pushed his glasses back onto his nose. "By your leave, we can test this device." Jared nodded.   
A few minutes later, in the large open courtyards of the palace, one of the two labcoats set the device gently on the ground, the other quietly wringing his hands. The labcoat that tended the machine pressed a series of buttons on it and stepped back. The machine's top opened a portal, sent up a small dish, and began to ping as the dish began to rotate slowly. Jared watched it turn both fascinated and expectant. His eyes never left the small thing, and his thoughts willed it to find that which he sought.  
However, after two full rotations, the dish stopped. It buzzed negatively, alerting to the labcoats that nothing had been found. One labcoat audibly gulped.  
"What!" Jared stared at the two men. "What does that mean? Did it find her?"  
The labcoat that had pressed the buttons on it slowly went pale. He put a hand to his head and ran his fingers though his thinning hair.   
"No. Sire. It didn't find any- " Jared's fist was suddenly wrapped around the fabric of the labcoat's collar, making it very hard to breathe. Jared was now nose to nose with the older man, growling.  
"Then your equipment is obviously faulty! You will run the test again." He stared into the scientist's eyes for a few moments longer, to be sure his instruction was understood. Jared slowly let the man go after he considered and nodded carefully, albeit painfully. The other labcoat had suddenly vanished, either sure of the first man's ability or wanting no part of the violence. The former was true the man would later claim.  
Jared watched as the dish was reset and the scientist had retyped the instructions into the panel. Like before, a door on the surface of the thing opened up, the dish reemerged and began its slow revolution. Jared's gaze passed between the labcoat, now smoothing the front of the jacket and clearing his throat, and the machine, finally completing its cycle. Again, it proclaimed the buzzing that seemed to register that nothing was found.   
"It lies, you baka!" Jared was starting to acknowledge the possibility that it didn't. She had to be on the planet. Unless she no longer lived. But that was not something he was prepared to face at the moment.   
"I'm afraid not, highness," the scientist quivered quietly. However, Jared's eyes narrowed as he asked the question that nagged at his mind.   
"If . . . for some reason she did not live, would it . . . find her?"  
"Yes Sire, it would. Even if death had occurred it would still pick up her DNA  
signature." Then the older saiyan looked down, suddenly thoughtful. "Then possibly, she is not on the planet? But then, how could that be?" He looked up at his lord, but all he could see was a cloud of dust where the prince had stood. Chest heaving, and wearing an evil smirk, Vegeta arrived in the hangar. With one glance he saw the door to the livery. The small room was lined shelves from floor to celing. On every shelf were neatly arranged xplor suits of every size and rank-color. Vegeta paused for a moment until his elite rank-color met his eye and found his size. He turned behind him and closed the door. No sense in letting anyone find him here. Kale would probably  
tell him about how he should be on the planet in case he had to lead his people to war. But as Jared pulled off his upper armor, he caught his reflection in a nearby mirror. Looking at himself, he mused that what he saw could have been any number of young saiyan men. Strong muscles chiseled onto his body told volumes of the hard training he'd endured over the years. And that's what marked him as more than just a regular warrior. But something else stuck out in his mind. What in the name of the Empire does she see in you, Jared?, he asked his reverse image. What does she see? But it had no answer for him. He finished pulling on the xplor suit and headed for the outer door. The suit he wore was a little heavier than his normal training gear, but it was well within his capacity to handle. Arriving at the great metal doors that would normally launch a hundred battle craft into the skies of Vegeta, the prince pulled his arms close to his body, bent his knees and then leaped vertically, careening up towards the stars.   
About a thousand or so feet from the ground, he reorients and heads away from the palace at full speed, a white trail of vaporized clouds forming his wake. About twenty minutes later, sure that he had outflown the palace's detection system, he again reoriented again and aimed straight up. After pressing the faceplate release button, he adjusted his gloves and boots, assuring himself that the vacuum of space wouldn't take their toll of his extremities. He blasted straight up again.  
  
  
A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short! I promise the next one will be longer! Please review! 


	4. Chapter 4: Baka is as Baka does

Disclaimer: I don't own thing-one of DBZ or any component of its universe. I merely hope that  
saiyan lawyers don't plan my destruction.  
  
Last Chapter: Jared learns Seven is no longer on Vegeta and that a strange fleet of ships has  
arrived. Coincidence? Yeah right. :P  
Honorbound  
Chapter 4  
  
"Commander For," the comm. suddenly screeched. "Your presence is needed at the  
Helm." For looked at the ceiling. "On my way . . . Seven?" He reached out, placed one rough  
hand on hers, and smiled. "Duty calls for me. I will contact you later when I am finished. If you  
want, I can assign a guide for you?"  
"Yes actually, " she smiled warmly. "I was still hoping for a tour of this marvelous  
place."  
"It will be done. Wait here for your guide." For shot out of the arboreum like a man  
possessed, but as he disappeared, Seven could hear him faintly, "Send a guard for my . . .   
'guest'."  
  
For stood in the hallway waiting for the elav to reach the level he was on as another  
winged man approached him. "She's in there," For instructed. "Do not let her out of your sight  
and make sure she doesn't go anywhere that might reveal what we are. She thinks we are . . . "  
For cleared his throat. "Police." The guard smirked and saluted, placing a fist over his heart and  
bowing, letting his wings fold in slightly.   
"Yes, Commander." The elav arrived not a moment too soon and the doors opened. For  
stepped inside.   
"Helm! ," he barked.  
  
A few minutes later, the guard strode into the arboreum. He paused, looking. Then he  
saw a small wingless form sitting on the edge of one the massive imbedded floor planters.   
He thought to himself wow they sure do know how to grow them on Vegeta! Looking up, Seven  
nodded as she saw the horned, winged man approach, looking for all the world like a demon  
wearing a small smile. She stood, bent slightly at the waist, and straightened, a respectful  
greeting.  
"I am Zed," he said, saluting her as he did for her father, wings turned inward for just a  
moment.   
"Seven," she said.   
"You are For's ... er ... 'guest'?" That lucky son-of-a-bitch!  
"Not exactly. I'm um .... his daughter." Now For looked genuinely surprised.  
"I didn't know that our Commander had any progeny. He didn't have a mate on the  
home- ... oh." Zed smiled, "But I AM glad to meet you." Zed's smiles were usually reserved for  
people he was trying charm into bed.  
"How's this? Let's walk and for a tour of your ... er, ship, I'll forget what you were about to  
say." She pointed to the hallway. Stoically embarrassed, Zed agreed. They walked up one  
corridor and down another, Seven explaining what she remembered of her family life. Which  
wasn't much. But that was quite alright. Zed was to busy watching her chest rise and fall as she  
spoke to notice a word she said. Not trying to sound totally overt, he did show her a few places.  
He identified the place on their left as a training room and another, on the right, as a place to  
take meals. At the thought of food, Seven's stomach rumbled loudly. Zed laughed.   
"I can't believe For hasn't fed you recently!" The two made a 90-degree turn  
into the dining hall, laughing.   
  
For arrived at the Helm and took his place in front of the window. "Captain. Report."   
The captain took a breath and spoke. "Sir. A small object has been sighted. Too far away to ID."   
"Window," intoned For. On the large screen, a tiny dot appeared. "Magnify." The dot  
grew but it was still too far away. For folded his arms in front of his chest.  
"Possibly a missile of some sort?" the captain offered, but For dismissed it with a shake  
of his head.   
"Unlikely. The people of this world aren't supposed to have surface-to-space capability.  
You will inform me immediately when you can make a positive identification."  
"Yes, sir." The captain pressed a couple buttons on his console and the image flashed  
back to a surface shot of Vegeta. For turned.   
"Lieutenant." Another man's head snapped to attention.   
"Sir!"   
"Where are Zed and our guest?" The lieutenant pressed a button. "They are in the dining  
hall, sir," he reported. For nodded.   
"Sir." the captain announced. For spun around.   
"Report."   
"Sir, the object looks like a person. It seems a lone saiyan has gotten curious about us."   
"Has he seen us?"   
"Negative, sir. We are still too far below the horizon for him to see our ships."   
"Fine. When he gets close enough, I need you to raise the hood, lieutenant." The hood  
acted as a shield, but mostly renders the ship invisible. "And Captain, " the other officer turned  
around. "When he gets near visual range, send the message to the other ships to do the same."   
"Yes, sir."  
  
Never having experienced saiyans at mealtime, Zed had never seen anyone put away this  
many rations in one sitting. Seven even talked to him in between swallows. Incredible!   
"So", she mumbled, "I barely remember my father, but he seems to be alright so far. In  
fact, I can't believe that I've never considered trying to find out where he came from or what kind  
of person he is." She swallowed.   
"For ... well he's a fantastic ... uh warrior, you might say," Zed drawled. "He's led us for a  
long time, and before that, he worked in intelligence."   
"Oh?" Seven wiped her mouth with a napkin and took a sip from a glass nearby. "I never  
knew that."   
"Yeah. He was sent to various planets to watch the people and gauge their ... ah ... the  
possibility of being a hostile race." Zed swallowed hard.   
"I'm glad he wasn't on Vegeta for very long. Not too many saiyans would have taken to the  
idea of being spied on... " She laughed softly. That's not quite what Zed was thinking of, but he  
wasn't about to correct her. Zed really wanted to change the subject.   
"You have had many wars on Vegeta?" In spite of himself he just wanted her to keep  
talking so he could listen to her voice. Just the sound of it, Zed mused, makes me wonder what  
kind of screams she can make.  
"Oh sure. Some noble family wants a piece of the valuable swatches of fertile land. However,  
there's another family living on it. The nobles gather their clan and just go and attack. Sides form  
from the other families in that region and it's all over the info screens how the nobles brought  
new honor to themselves, stripping it from the defeated ones."   
Zed thought about that scene. Saiyans on one side, saiyans on the other, up in arms over a  
chunk of this dustball. He was about to smirk at the absurdity of it but he suddenly thought of  
something to get her into his rooms. Maybe then they could be alone.  
"Um, Seven. I hate to spoil your story, but I was curious about something." he took a sip  
from his glass.  
"Yes?" She took another bite of her fourth long-bun.   
"Do saiyans have music? Like did you ever learn to play an instrument?"   
Seven chewed her bite and swallowed. "Yup. It was a percussion piece that made  
different tones depending on where you strike it with two little hammers."   
"Would you mind if I played for you something of ours?", he asked.   
"Sure! I mean of course not." Smiling, Zed rose from the table.   
"Then let's go. My quarters isn't too far away." Not too much longer, now, Zed thought to  
himself for the third time. Soon, very soon. Seven wiped her mouth and set down her napkin as  
she got up as well.   
"Alright." They headed towards the elav.   
  
Jared thought he saw ... something, a dark haze just below the tree line. He put on a burst  
of speed, but as he got to where he saw it, there was nothing. I'm going nuts, he though to  
himself. Flying onward, slowly, he let habit take over and started scanning the ground. When he  
and Seven were young, they would sneak out of the palace and play seek and destroy in these  
woods. Then when Jared learned to fly, Seven didn't want to play quite so often. Something  
about not winning a game since.   
A grin had crept onto his face as he thought of their childhood, but was replaced by a deep  
frown as he remembered the battle that should have been. Over a week now she's been gone.  
Thing is, he mused as the scenery flew underneath him, as far as he knew, she didn't possess the  
kind of speed it took to vanish. And even if she did, she would have reappeared right behind  
him with some kind of devastating attack. It was much more plausible she was taken. But, by  
who? and why? He shook his head. These things do not matter. She's no longer on the planet,  
and the people in the ships know something.   
They might not treat her so well if they knew who she is, Jared thinks suddenly. They will  
definitely mistreat her, they might even hurt her. The image of Seven's beaten body thrown in a  
metal cell, striped with blood came to his mind, filling Jared with a sudden intense violence. He  
hated so fiercely that his rage bubbled up from his deepest core, infusing his whole body with  
power, and exploding around him as he burst from saiyan to super-saiyan.  
  
The captain's console lit up and chirped urgently.   
"Sir!" For stood up, took a step towards the window.   
"What is it."   
"The saiyan outside ... is glowing, sir."   
"Glowing? What is that? Is it a shield? Magnify." Jared's body, surrounded by an angry  
golden aura appears on the screen. "How did he do that? Better yet, shoot him down!"  
  
At his seat on the helm of the new saiyan warship, the Honorbound, General Kale was all too  
aware of the situation. "Dammit, Vegeta! What in the name of-"   
"Sir!"   
"What!" Kale bellowed.   
The subordinate paled, but answered bravely. "The enemy has begun firing on the  
prince." The General stood, slamming his fist into the arm of his chair, hard. "Kami-damn you,  
Jared! Launch this fucking ship! NOW!"   
"Yes, sir, but it's never been tested!"   
"Well, this's a helluva test ain't it?" Kale growled as the huge bay doors slid open  
noiselessly on brand new geartracks. The crew of the newly-invented starcraft got its first sight  
of the sky, and faced war. The engines roared to life, and the entire crew was propelled  
backwards with a frightening strength. When the ship had gotten a safe distance from the  
launching bay, Kale sat forward on his seat.  
"Full speed towards the Prince!" Not a bad first run, for saiyans.  
  
The first warning shot skimmed past Jared's shoulder, ripping through the golden haze he  
had surrounding him. Then as one, the fleet brought by For de-hooded and revealed itself to  
Jared what it really was: a conqueror.  
Oh yes, he saw it, knew what it was, but he didn't care. All he knew is that they had  
her. Then the main volley of energy beams screamed towards him. He dodged them quite easily  
at first, speeding towards the first ship in the formation. But he blinked, and one beam caught his  
cheek. Growling as he sped onward, he powered up an answering attack. Two huge balls of ki  
formed one in each hand as he dodged more beams, still closing the gap between him and the  
enemy. "Seven!" he screamed and hurled one massive ball of energy.  
  
Zed and Seven arrived at his quarters just as the first attack hit, rocking the ship with a  
large thundering. Seven was unbalanced and tipped right into Zed. He caught her with his  
strong arms. A moment later, a second, stronger blast rocked the ship more violently. This  
pressed Seven into Zed's chest, her face buried against his well-developed pectorals as she  
instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist.   
"What was that?!" she hissed. Zed thought very quickly.  
"Really, Seven!" he mocked. You'd think we were under attack or something!" He  
laughed, easing his own tension. What WAS that?? "It's just our science department  
experimenting with the menu again. Stuff tastes great, but let's just say you shouldn't jump up  
and down after dinner."  
Seven laughed at the thought, and disengaged from him quickly. It occurred to her that  
she'd never held anyone like that in her life, and she wasn't exactly sure she liked it.  
Changing the subject, she asked, "So, you said you have music in this place?"   
With a charming smile, Zed assured her. "Sure. Let me get my instrument out and I can play  
for you some of our traditional songs." He retreated into one of the back rooms, leaning into a  
wall as another boom tilted the ship. Rebalancing and trying to ignore the sounds, Seven took a  
seat on one of the soft chairs and stared after him.   
  
  
Jared's bleeding cheek was the least of his worries now. His right arm dangled lifelessly  
and a large gash was opening on his leg. He was now barely able to dodge the beams which  
were getting ever more accurate. That's how Kale found him. Still sparking with super-saiyan  
energy, Jared had been pulled inside the Honorbound by a transport beam and was stalking to the  
Helm, clinging to the wall. Kale, the prince fumed, I got to ... find ... Exertion finally took its  
toll however, and Jared's hair returned to its normal jet black as he slid to the floor.  
  
"General Kale!" the crackling overhead announced.  
"Go ahead."  
"This is Private Cab. I have found the Prince. He's collapsed."  
"Well, Private, take his highness to the MedicBay."  
"Yes sir."  
Kale rubbed his temples, grimacing. War was imminent. Their Prince was unable to lead  
them. And all over a blasted female! Dammit, Jared, Kale thought to himself. What does that  
baka think he's doing?  
Soon, the surv-A picked up the alien fleet. Seven ships hovering in the air as if waiting for  
something. The largest one stood out in front of the other six in a v-formation like a flock of  
birds. The hulls were black and glinted metallically in the reddening light of Vegeta's sunset.  
"All Stop!" Kale bellowed. The saiyan warship halted slowly. 


	5. Chapter 5: Romeo, He Ain't

Honorbound  
Chapter 5  
  
  
Zed emerged from the back room with a wooden recorder-type instrument. Then he stood  
back. Neither noticed that the ship had stopped moving.  
"This is a song that I learned as a child. It's not a masterpiece, but it reminds me of  
home." Seven smiled, faintly. Zed put the flute to his lips. He took a breath and began to play. It  
was a very simple melody and repeated after a few bars. As she listened, Seven could almost  
imagine the rolling hills and expansive oceans it seemed to describe. Closing her eyes as the  
tune repeated again, Seven didn't see Zed inching forward. As he played on, he got closer and  
closer to her. He slowly bent his knees, balanced by his large tail, and knelt silently before her.  
Then he began to play more and more quietly through another repeat, holding the final note until  
the music faded into silence. He lowered the flute. Seven, still seeing the visions the song  
evoked, let her eyes drift lazily open.   
Zed was nose to nose with her, breathing heavily. She sucked in a breath, but as her chest  
inflated, it seemed to only encourage Zed. He promptly leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.  
Eyes flung open, Seven tried to push away from him. However, he was too strong and she  
merely succeeded in making herself fall backward off the side of the chair onto the floor. Zed  
lunged for her, pinning her arms down with his hands, and pushed the chair away with his shin.  
Another bruising kiss kept her from yelling. Soon, he shifted his grip, tightly grabbing her neck.   
With that free hand, he began to undo the clasp to her lower armor. Seven's fingers found his  
around her neck, but as she scratched and tore at him, he only squeezed tighter. Tears began  
to form at the corner of her eyes as she feared what would happen if she let this continue any  
further. She couldn't have screamed now if she wanted to. I'll have to think of something else,  
she thought, before he kills me, or worse!  
Zed sensed her new inability to vocalize and pulled the front of her fighting suit down,  
revealing the top curve of a pale milky breast. Seven choked as he bent to lick her collarbone,   
his tongue horribly warm. With his unoccupied fingers, he pulled at the shirt until her bosom  
popped free. Then he bent further and brought one of the orbs to his lips. He licked at the tip,   
standing at attention. Seven hated her body for reacting to him, but he gripped her neck harder.  
Her vision started to blur and her strength to fight back was dwindling. Suddenly, he had to  
replace his grasp on her airway. For a split second, she could breathe. Air wheezed violently into  
her lungs, but her scream was cut short by Zed's mouth on hers again.   
Face beet red, Seven was embarrassed and horrified. Fuming, she wreaked her ultimate. Her  
knee, now underneath Zed's massive body, reared up with renewed saiyan's strength and caught  
him where it hurt most.   
"Gahh! Damn you!!" Zed sat back hard, holding himself. Seven scooted backwards until  
she encountered the wall and leapt to her feet, putting her clothing back in order.   
"How. DARE. You?!" she screamed at him, fists now tight and shaking.  
Zed struggled to his feet, still cradling his pain with one hand. The other was being pulled  
behind him with a white crackling ball of ki forming within.  
"Go Ahead, You Sick Bastard!", she taunted hoarsely.   
Zed needed no other prompt. He hurled the ki attack at her, but she dodged to the side. The  
blast did no real damage, but the shock wave threw her towards a surprised Zed. Seven grasped  
his shoulders, flipped behind him and used the great inertia to hurl him backwards into the door.   
He slid to the floor landing with a thunk. Finally, falling to his hands and knees, Zed collapsed.  
  
Coming out of his stupor, Jared slowly opened his eyes, but his vision wasn't entirely  
clear. He'd had the strangest drea- no. It was definitely a nightmare. A dark winged form was  
strangling him. Was it Seven? No. This person was male. He was sure of it. Jared shook his  
head to dispel the haze, but his mind suddenly spun. He put a bandaged hand to his temples,  
vowing not to do that again. Reacting to his movement, a young saiyan man near him looked up  
from his seat.  
"Welcome back, Sire." he said with a friendly smirk.  
"Where am I?" Jared grunted as he sat up. The guard stood and saluted.   
"Aboard the Honorbound, highness. General Kale will be pleased you've recovered.   
Just in time to lead us to war, lord Vegeta!" the young man sped out of the room, eager to deliver  
his report and get back to his station.  
Jared swung his legs over the side of the bed, thinking. The dream with the winged man  
... A winged man ... somewhere in his still spinning memory he remembered.  
  
When he was very little, there was a criminal brought before the current King Vegeta.   
He stood before Jared's father proudly even though his hands and arms were bound. Peeking  
into the throne room from a closed-over door, Jared thought the winged man looked quite like a  
dragon. He wasn't close enough to overhear, but what they said to each other had to have been  
bad because the dragon-man suddenly got very angry. Even bound as he was, he held his own  
against the many guards that rushed at him. He used his wings like a second pair of hands,  
punching and striking out. His large tail lashed back and forth knocking other guards away like  
nothing. Finally, throwing his head back in rage, the dragon-man sent out a huge wave of yellow  
energy, breaking his bonds as saiyans flew in all directions. Then he ran out of the throne room,  
many warriors close behind him.  
  
As Jared pulled his armor on, he wondered. Was that draco-jin Seven's father? Is that who  
we're against now? If so, then will she come back when we find her or will she stay with her  
father? He didn't know any of these answers, but he was going to find out. A lighted map was on  
the wall next to the door. After a minute of study, Jared knew the way to the Helm where Kale  
undoubtably was.  
The door opened smoothly as he approached and turning, he began to make his way to the  
forward of the ship. Suddenly, the overhead screeched on.  
"Encountering Enemy Forces. All Hands To Battle Mode. Repeat. Encountering Enemy  
Forces. All Hands To Battle Mode." The halls flooded with saiyans moving both directions and  
Jared struggled to keep from getting swept away. Soon he found the elav that would take him to  
the Helm. Luckily, another warrior was headed that way too, and held the door as Jared boarded  
although the warrior didn't seem to recognize him.   
"Helm." the warrior announced. "Oh! I didn't see you there, highness! Forgive me!" He bowed  
and saluted. Jared nodded. Soon the elav stopped and the doors slid open.  
"My Lord!" Kale said as the Helm Crew stood as one and saluted him. Sometimes that gets  
really irritating, Jared thought to no one.   
"General." Jared acknowledged and took Kale's place at the window as the General slid down  
to take the next seat.   
"Sire, we are moments away from visual distance."  
"Let's see them then."  
"Window!" Kale commanded. Immediately, seven large black ships darkened the view,  
casting their massive shadows on the planet below.  
"Open communications"  
"Yes sir. Lieutenant?" The image changed to that of an older draco-jin, and he did not seem  
pleased. Seems I have one of my answers, Jared mused. This was definitely the criminal from  
my past. But what does he want?  
"Finally, Vegeta. I was beginning to wonder if you were going to contact me after that little ...  
er ... display." For cleared his throat. "Be it known, saiyan, that we have made no hostile action  
that warrants your attack."  
Jared stood snarling. "You call abducting one of my people not a hostile act? And that was  
but a small demonstration. I demand you release your prisoner, or you WILL be attacked."  
An evil smirk darkened For's face. "Demand? Come now. You have no authority, saiyan. My  
prisoner, as you say, is my daughter, Seven. I have a father's right to claim my own."  
Jared frowned deeply. "Obviously you did not listen to me. So, I will tell you again. Release  
her or we will open fire."  
For's smirk deepened into a dark scowl. "You must think I don't see behind your bluff. Your  
little ship against my seven? I have more than enou-"  
"Shut it down. I can't stand his voice any longer." The image returned to the view of the ships  
but now they were moving. Silently, Jared watched the draco-jin's fleet change formation. From  
their v-shape, the ships moved to the six smaller ships acting as a shield for the larger, primary  
vessel. Then from the six ships' underbellies, massive energy built up.   
"DEFENSIVE!!" Jared called out and ducked. The gigantic energy beams collected in the  
center of the formation and shot out towards the Honorbound. Jared and his people had been  
thrown to the floor as the beam ripped at the ship. A console exploded, sending sparks, and  
starting little fires. Jared grabbed an arm of the general's chair and hauling himself up, he  
screamed at his crew,   
"Fire! Fire on them!" But nothing happened. Jared crawled to the back of the Helm where  
weapon command was. Amid the smoking equipment, a saiyan was lying dead on it. The shock  
of the blast had hurled his head into the console. Jared pulled the body off as the dim emergency  
lights kicked in and began to power up the Cannon. The flat buttons underneath his fingers  
blinked in some insane harmony, but the Cannon would not charge. 


End file.
